How long can an engineered wood floor last for?

You might be seeking a floor for a school gym, an office or a room in your home – whatever the purpose, before making a purchase, it’s worth investigating the potential properties and advantages of the solution you select.

While many property owners love the possibility of a solid hardwood floor, it may not be the ideal flooring to suit certain requirements, leading people to consider installing engineered flooring instead.

Caring correctly for engineered wood flooring

Those looking to ensure their engineered wood installation lasts will be happy to hear that this type of flooring is simple to maintain and keep clean. Using a brush or a hoover daily, dirt can be easily removed, making sure an engineered floor stays looking in great shape. However, as with any other flooring choice, heavy furniture around your rooms should remain on rugs, and matts must be placed at entrances to minimise unnecessary wear.

The power to handle high volumes of traffic

It’s a common misconception that engineered wood isn’t as resistant as solid hardwood floors – in actual fact, its clever construction enables it to cope with considerable footfall without a problem. Engineered floors also hold up well in locations where moisture and temperature levels tend to fluctuate, as they can handle heat and damp. This makes them suitable for systems offering luxury comfort to homeowners, like underfloor heating.

Does the finish added to engineered wood flooring add to its longevity?

There are commonly three different options chosen to complete engineered wooden flooring: no finish at all, lacquered or oiled.

The benefits of a lacquered finish to engineered flooring is that it can protect the boards from everyday scrapes and scratches. Visually, they can offer a slightly shiny appearance, however lacquered wood floors tend to wear down slightly easier than those where homeowners have chosen an oiled finish.

Oiled finishes for engineered wood floors work by soaking into the topmost layer of wood on each board. While this technique provides less protection from day-to-day damage like spills, it is renowned for delivering deeper protection overall.

What can you do if you engineered flooring suffers a scratch?

While robust, engineered floorboards can sometimes still get scratched. Fortunately, this isn’t impossible to solve. High-quality engineered wood can be sanded down and refinished more than once in its lifetime. Engineered flooring that encompasses a four-millimetre thick wear layer can allow you to complete this process around four to five times after installation.

A flooring solution for the duration

While engineered options can’t quite match solid wood floors, which sometimes outlive the buildings they are fitted in, they can still provide a sound return in years of service. Exceptionally hardy, if an engineered wood floor is installed by professionals and is appropriately cared for, it can endure for decades. Engineered wood flooring’s composition features several core pieces of either softwood, High Density Fibreboard (HDF) or plywood, which is topped with a hardwood layer, allowing to easily last for around 30 years.

Ideal areas that benefit from artificial grass

Artificial lawns can prove advantageous to households for many reasons. Entirely non-toxic, they are ideal for families with kids and pets and a symptom-free solution for those with allergies. Exceptionally low maintenance, many property owners are opting for artificial grass, however, there is more than one place it may suit around the house. In the following passages, we’ll explore some areas around your property that might benefit from artificial grass.

Home gyms

When you want a durable flooring option for your gym at home, artificial grass might not be the first idea that springs to mind. However, this man-made solution is robust enough to take the strain from stationary gym equipment and free weights, and is suitable for sidestepping unwanted scuff marks on your floors. Soft and springy, it makes a sound surface for floor exercises and it looks great too. If you have larger pieces of equipment, like exercise bikes, treadmills or cross trainers, just remember to rotate their location periodically to avoid excessive wear.

By the poolside

Instead of ceramic tiles and concrete slabs that heat up in the sun and soon become uncomfortable underfoot, consider artificial grass to surround your swimming pool. You’ll find it far cooler and more comfortable on your feet before you take a dip or complete some laps. Synthetic grass will also keep your pool area looking green, without unsightly lawn and leaves floating on the surface of the water.

On the balcony

Small areas like bedroom balconies can be a perfect place for artificial grass when you want them to feel a little more spacious. An expanse of man-made lawn can also add an outdoor feel that is easy to keep clean when you step back indoors.

Kids play areas

Soft to play on and safe if they take a tumble, there’s no doubt that any dedicated room reserved for kids to play in can benefit from artificial grass. Easy to clean, simple rinsing will tidy up any mess they make during play. Equally ideal in outdoor play areas, you won’t have to worry about muddy footprints tramping through the house with artificial grass. Synthetic lawns are manufactured to high safety standards, making them well-suited for both kids and their pets to play on.

In the garden

Last but not least, don’t forget the back garden. In today’s busy world, many homeowners struggle to keep on top of their outdoor areas, and while decking and patios look great, they are no substitute for lying out on a stretch of soft grass. Far easier to maintain then their natural counterparts, artificial grass lawns are supremely easy to care for. This can save you time and money when you need to hire a professional gardener to tame the jungle out back.

When professionally fitted and looked after correctly, artificial grass can last for up to 20 years, providing a sound return on your investment. Even with installation assistance, synthetic grass can be far more affordable than laying real turf and is a far simpler process to complete.

Sky blue named as colour trend for 2021

According to the e-commerce site Etsy, sky blue is the 2020 colour trend that is predicted to last into 2021.

Etsy’s trend expert, Dayna Isom Johnson, says sky blue represents people looking ahead to bluer skies after the difficult period of the coronavirus pandemic. According to Real Homes, she explained that:

"While there are still so many hurdles to overcome, hope is on the horizon and there is a renewed sense of gratitude and connection to our communities. Etsy’s colour of the year perfectly represents this.”

Johnson added that sky blue is a tranquil colour that connects people to nature. There are many ways to add this pastel colour to a room, and a sky blue carpet is an excellent place to start. Many carpet manufacturers include sky blue in their range of plain coloured carpets, and patterned carpets featuring sky blue are also an option. Walls can be painted sky blue to lighten the room, and a contrasting coloured carpet can be added.

In the dining area, a sky blue tablecloth adds a soft touch, while a living room can benefit from sky blue throws draped on sofas and chairs.

Many colour trends come and go quickly, but Brittany Romano, writing for Real Homes, believes that sky blue is one colour trend that will stay around for a long time.

People are spending more time at home during the coronavirus pandemic restrictions, and this has focused attention on home improvements. Bright new carpets in North Wales homes are ideal for revitalising rooms.

Carpet buyers favour in-person shopping

A new report has revealed that while many homebuyers make their decisions on prospective properties based on online floor plans and 3D visualisations, when it comes to carpeting, they prefer to see and feel the carpets before making a purchase.

Some builders are now providing online 3D views of homes that have not yet been built. They allow viewers to change the design of the rooms to see how different fittings and fixtures will look. When it comes to carpets, however, a digital image gives a limited impression of how the carpet suits a room.

According to The Mercury News, Jennifer Kamenca of design studio Residential Design Services (RDS) sees the future of home design as a mix of virtual and in-person experiences. Virtual design applications give a good initial introduction to interior design options and save people having to travel to a retailer to get a first impression of different designs. However, before a buyer commits, they want to see and feel samples of the materials used in their preferred designs.

During the coronavirus pandemic, most RDS design meetings were held online, but after lockdown restrictions eased, many customers preferred to visit the studio to handle material samples. All participants must wear masks and gloves, and the studio is disinfected before each meeting.

When it comes to choosing a quality carpet for a North Wales home that will be in a room for many years, there is no online substitute for seeing and feeling a carpet.

Old carpets help reduce horse injuries

An initiative by Angus Council in Scotland is recycling old carpets into horse riding surfaces to help prevent equestrian injuries.

Many worn carpets end up in landfill sites, but there are several initiatives now being launched aimed at finding ways to recycle carpets.

Angus Council launched its new carpet recycling service on November 23. Skips at the Carnoustie and Arbroath recycling centres are accepting carpets and underlay, which are shredded and baled. The material is then used to provide a surface for horses in arenas and training facilities. These surfaces help prevent strain and reduce injury risks.

This is a pilot project, which, if successful, will be operated in other Scottish areas.

Angus is not the only area in the UK to recycle carpets for horses. The Potter Group, based in Wales, owns a waste management company, as well as a team of National Hunt racehorses. Its “Canter Carpet” is made from recycled carpets for use by equestrian centres.

There are also numerous other carpet recycling schemes that work with businesses and individuals to accept used carpets, which are recycled for use in a number different of products.

Many households and businesses choose carpets or carpet tiles in the North Wales, Wrexham and Chester areas. Carpets are suitable for vulnerable people as they prevent slips and falls, they make rooms feel cosier and their acoustic properties reduce noise by absorbing sound. Their insulating qualities also save energy.

At the end of a carpet’s life, it should be recycled rather than thrown away as waste.